Verbena peruviana/Verbena Plant.
cv. xe2x80x98Sunvivaroxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Verbena plant obtained from crossing a wild type of Verbena plant Verbena peruviana (♀) native to Brazil and another wild type of Verbena plant Verbena peruviana (♂) native to Brazil.
Verbena is a very popular plant and is used for flower bedding and potting in the summer season. There are only a few varieties of Verbena plants having much branching, many flowers in a spike, a long flowering duration and which have a high resistance to rain, heat, cold, and disease. Accordingly, this invention was aimed at obtaining a new variety having an erect growth habit, strong branching, many flowers in a spike, long flowering duration, high tolerance to heat and cold, and resistances to diseases and pests, and also having petals that are vivid purplish red.
The new variety of Verbena plant according to this invention originated from crossing of a wild type of Verbena plant Verbena peruviana (♀) native to Brazil and another wild type of Verbena plant Verbena peruviana (♂) native to Brazil.
First of all, 32 seedlings were obtained in the autumn of 1993, from crossing a wild type of Verbena plant xe2x80x98VBAxe2x80x99 (Verbena peruviana f. roseaxe2x80x94non-patented in the United States) as female parent and another wild type of Verbena plant xe2x80x98VBBxe2x80x99 (Verbena peruviana f. roseaxe2x80x94non-patented in the United States) as pollen parent in the spring of 1993. From this crossing, one seedling was selected in view of erect growth habit, branching and petal color, and propagated by cutting, and then grown as a trial in flower beds and planters from the spring of 1994. Finally a trial by flower potting and bedding was carried out on the selected one plant to the autumn of 1995. The botanical characteristics of the selected one seedling were examined, using similar varieties xe2x80x98Sunvivapaxe2x80x99 (Appl. No. 8239 under the Seeds and Seedlings Law of Japan and U.S. Plant patent application No. 09/987,811, filed Nov. 16, 2001) and xe2x80x98Showtime Blazexe2x80x99 (non-patented in the United States) for comparison. As a result, it was concluded that this Verbena is distinguishable from any other variety whose existence is known to us, and is uniform and stable in its characteristics. This new variety of Verbena plant was named xe2x80x98Sunvivaroxe2x80x99.
In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with The Horticultural Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England (R.H.S. Colour Chart), and the Inter-Society Color Council-National Bureau of Standards Color Name (I.S.C.C.-N.B.S. Color Name). A color chart based on The Japan Color Standard for Horticultural Plant (J.H.S. Color Chart) is also added for reference.
The female parent xe2x80x98VBAxe2x80x99 and the pollen parent xe2x80x98VBBxe2x80x99, used in the obtaining of this new variety xe2x80x98Sunvivaroxe2x80x99, are wild types of Verbena native to South Brazil.
The new variety of the present invention can be readily distinguished from its xe2x80x98VBAxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98VBBxe2x80x99 parental varieties. More specifically, the new variety forms vivid purplish red flowers and the parental varieties each form blue flowers.
The xe2x80x98Showtime Blazexe2x80x99, used as a comparison for this new variety xe2x80x98Sunvivaroxe2x80x99, is commercially available. The petal color of xe2x80x98Showtime Blazexe2x80x99 is similar to that of xe2x80x98Sunvivaroxe2x80x99. The main botanical characteristics of xe2x80x98Showtime Blazexe2x80x99 are as follows:
Plant:
Growth habit.xe2x80x94Erect.
Plant extension.xe2x80x94Medium.
Plant height.xe2x80x94High. (25-35 cm).
Stem:
Diameter.xe2x80x94Medium.
Anthocyanin pigmentation.xe2x80x94Absent.
Pubescence.xe2x80x94Present.
Prickle.xe2x80x94Absent.
Branching.xe2x80x94Medium.
Subterranean stem.xe2x80x94Absent.
Length of internode.xe2x80x94Medium. (3-4 cm).
Leaf:
Phyllotaxis.xe2x80x94Opposite.
Shape of blade.xe2x80x94Hastate.
Blade incision.xe2x80x94Present.
Depth of blade incision.xe2x80x94Shallow.
Shape of leaf margin.xe2x80x94Serrated.
Length.xe2x80x94Medium.
Width.xe2x80x94Medium.
Color.xe2x80x94Dark green. (R.H.S. Colour Chart No. 137B, JHS Color Chart No. 3508).
Pubescence.xe2x80x94Present.
Petiole.xe2x80x94Absent.
Flower:
Shape of cluster.xe2x80x94Obconical.
Spike length.xe2x80x94Medium.
Spike diameter.xe2x80x94Medium.
Facing direction.xe2x80x94Upward.
Outward curvature of petal.xe2x80x94Curved.
Diameter.xe2x80x94Large.
Height.xe2x80x94Long.
Color of petal.xe2x80x94Deep reddish orange (R.H.S. Colour Chart No.47A, J.H.S. Color Chart No.0708).
Eye color.xe2x80x94Absent.
Variegation.xe2x80x94Absent.
Color presentation.xe2x80x94Substantially even.
Overlapping of petals.xe2x80x94Separate.
Incision of petal.xe2x80x94Present.
Number of petals.xe2x80x94Medium.
Calyx incision.xe2x80x94Present.
Calyx length.xe2x80x94Long.
Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.xe2x80x94Present.
Pistil shape.xe2x80x94Two lobes.
Stamen number.xe2x80x94Medium.
Anther color.xe2x80x94Yellowish green.
Peduncle diameter.xe2x80x94Thin.
Peduncle length.xe2x80x94Short.
Number of flowers.xe2x80x94Medium.
Flower fragrance.xe2x80x94Absent.
Flowering time.xe2x80x94Medium.
Flowering duration.xe2x80x94Medium.
Physiological and ecological characteristics:
Tolerance to cold.xe2x80x94Medium.
Tolerance to heat.xe2x80x94Low.
Resistance to diseases.xe2x80x94Low.
Resistance to pests.xe2x80x94Low.
The main botanical characteristics of xe2x80x98Sunvivapaxe2x80x99 are as follows:
Plant:
Growth habit.xe2x80x94Erect.
Plant extension.xe2x80x94Medium.
Plant height.xe2x80x94High. (40-50 cm).
Stem:
Diameter.xe2x80x94Medium. (2-3 mm).
Anthocyanin pigmentation.xe2x80x94Present.
Pubescence.xe2x80x94Dense.
Prickle.xe2x80x94Absent.
Branching.xe2x80x94Abundant.
Subterranean stem.xe2x80x94Absent.
Length of internode.xe2x80x94Medium. (4-5 cm).
Leaf:
Phyllotaxis.xe2x80x94Opposite.
Shape of blade.xe2x80x94Hastate.
Blade incision.xe2x80x94Present.
Depth of blade incision.xe2x80x94Shallow.
Shape of leaf margin.xe2x80x94Crenate.
Length.xe2x80x94Medium. (4-5 cm).
Width.xe2x80x94Medium. (3 cm).
Color.xe2x80x94Moderate Olive green. (R.H.S. Colour Chart No. 146A, J.H.S. Color Chart No. 3509).
Pubescence.xe2x80x94Present.
Petiole.xe2x80x94Present.
Petiole diameter.xe2x80x94Medium.
Petiole length.xe2x80x94Medium.
Flower:
Shape of cluster.xe2x80x94Funnel-shaped.
Spike length.xe2x80x94Medium. (3 cm).
Spike diameter.xe2x80x94Large. (4-5 cm).
Facing direction.xe2x80x94Upward.
Outward curvature of petal.xe2x80x94Slightly curved.
Diameter.xe2x80x94Large. (20-30 mm).
Height.xe2x80x94Long.
Color of petal.xe2x80x94Deep reddish purple. (R.H.S. Colour Chart No. 78A, J.H.S. Color Chart No. 8907).
Eye color.xe2x80x94Absent.
Variegation.xe2x80x94Absent.
Color presentation.xe2x80x94Substantially even.
Overlapping of petals.xe2x80x94Separate.
Incision of petal.xe2x80x94Present.
Number of petals.xe2x80x94Medium.
Calyx incision.xe2x80x94Present.
Calyx length.xe2x80x94Medium.
Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.xe2x80x94Present.
Pistil shape.xe2x80x94Two lobes.
Stamen number.xe2x80x94Medium.
Anther color.xe2x80x94Yellowish green.
Peduncle diameter.xe2x80x94Medium.
Peduncle length.xe2x80x94Medium.
Number of flowers.xe2x80x94Medium.
Flower fragrance.xe2x80x94Absent.
Flowering time.xe2x80x94Late.
Flowering duration.xe2x80x94Long.
Physiological and ecological characteristics:
Tolerance to cold.xe2x80x94High.
Tolerance to heat.xe2x80x94High.
Resistance to diseases.xe2x80x94High.
Resistance to pests.xe2x80x94High.
The new variety of Verbena plant xe2x80x98Sunvivaroxe2x80x99 was asexually reproduced by cutting at the aforementioned Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd., residing at 29131 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan, and the homogeneity and stability thereof were confirmed. The instant plant retains its distinctive characteristics and reproduces true to type in successive generations.
This new variety of Verbena plant has erect growth habit and the plant height is high. The plant has many branches and plentiful flowers in a spike, and a great profusion of blooms. The blooming period is late April to November and the flowering duration is long. The whole plant remains in bloom for a considerable period of time. The flower petal color is vivid purplish red color and there is no eye. The plant is highly tolerant to heat, and has a high resistance to pests and diseases, particularly powdery mildew and high resistance to rain. Medium resistance to cold.